Zarkon Group, Author at Zarkon Group Real Estate Builders & Developers

Midnight blue vestibule with neon strips across the walls and ceiling

Interior Design

Neon lighting illuminates Strip Joint Chicken by Amanda Hamilton

By Zarkon Group,12/10/2023

Canadian studio Amanda Hamilton Interior Design has used bold colour-blocking and neon lighting to give this Calgary chicken shop a “1990s meets Memphis” feel.

Strip Joint Chicken in the city’s East Village neighbourhood is a fast-casual restaurant that serves “chicken fingers with a twist”.

The brand is fun, playful and cheeky, so the interiors of its 2,200-square-foot (204-square-metre) space needed to reflect this.

Working with a return client, Amanda Hamilton Interior Design leant fully into the “offbeat” concept, creating an elevated interpretation of a seedy bar or nightclub that founder Amanda Hamilton described as “1990s meets Memphis”.

The words "Strip Joint" written on a wall in a striped typeface — A trio of colourful stripes is used to guide customers to the ordering area, and also spells out the brand’s name on the wall

“At times subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) design elements take a nod (or a big ol’ bow) playing to the restaurant’s name,” said the designer. “In a market saturated with options for fast casual, standing out was key.”

The main entrance vestibule is painted midnight blue and illuminated by vertical bands of neon lighting that connect wall-to-wall across the ceiling. This immersive passageway sets the tone for the main dining area, which is similarly lit with neon.

Fluorescent-blue neon tubes suspended above a service counter — Tangles of fluorescent-blue neon tubes are suspended above the service counter

Tangled fluorescent-blue tubes are positioned above the bar and service counter, while pink and yellow glow from LED strips within large colour-blocked arches that accommodate built-in seating for a row of dining tables.

“Coloured lighting is used extensively to feature architectural details, enhance volumetric space, ground the bar and highlight seating areas,” Hamilton said.

Pink arched niche with built-in seating and dining tables — LED strips illuminate colour-blocked arched niches, which accommodate bench seating

Part of a larger retail space that was divided into four units, the chicken shop is accessible from both sides of the building.

Therefore, close attention was paid to the flow of people through the space, and wayfinding tools were implemented to assist both dine-in and take-out customers.

A trio of arched niches lit up in pink and yellow — The arched niches provide space for dine-in guests to enjoy their chicken out the way of take-out customers

A trio of thin, coloured stripes are inlaid across floors to guide hungry patrons to the ordering area.

The same triple-line motif spells out the brand’s name in large letters across a wall, above a pink scallop-topped bench accompanied by small tables and terrazzo stools.

Custom-designed feathery wallpaper adorns the back of the central arch and inside the “tender neutral” bathrooms, which are tucked behind bright pink doors.

For guests wishing to stay longer, a private dining area named the Hens Den is obscured from view by gauzy drapery.

Bathroom interior with feathery wallpaper — Custom feathery wallpaper adorns the bathroom interiors

This monochromatic room features a brass pole in the centre of its dining table, around which a lazy susan for sharing food rotates.

“As an extension of the space, the predominately custom furniture is equal parts playful and sculptural, creating a conversation-worthy addition to the space,” Hamilton said.

Bathroom with feathery wallpaper and a bright pink door — Located behind bright pink doors, the bathrooms are designated as “tender neutral”

The designer founded her eponymous studio in Calgary, where she’s based, and also operates a second location out of Vancouver.

A trend for bright psychedelia in hospitality and entertainment spaces has been gaining pace recently, with other examples found in Seattle’s Supernova nightclub and the Resonant Head music venue in Oklahoma City.

The photography is by Joel Klassen.

Reference

Sustainable News

Turning post-consumer plastic into building materials

By Zarkon Group,12/10/2023

Spotted: Two issues that often face developing economies are a deficit in recycling infrastructure and the availability of affordable housing. Timao Group is aiming to provide an answer to both these problems through its provision of modular homes made from recycled plastic.

Timao transforms post-consumer plastic into the materials necessary to create its modular homes, like interlocking blocks, universal beams, and plastic beams. In converting the recycled plastic into generic component parts, the homes can easily be constructed and extended, crucially reducing the cost of maintenance and labour. The company also utilises turnkey delivery and installation methods to make sure that construction of the houses is as simple as possible, with the construction systems being produced off-site to then be delivered and fully assembled on-site.

The group believes in a triple-impact philosophy of its business model, meaning it aims to have a positive impact on both the social and environmental levels, without neglecting or risking economic profitability.

Earlier this year, Timao received the SME Award at the Africa Climate Summit (ACS) High-level CEOs Roundtable and more recently, was selected as a participant in the third Project NINJA accelerator programme, which will help the company scale within the Kenyan market. 

The construction industry is brimming with new methods and materials to help make the homes of tomorrow more sustainable and affordable. Springwise has also spotted one company that upcycles plastic into building materials, as well as another that creates sustainable home insulation using natural wool.

Written By: Archie Cox

Reference

An arched stone music hall made of stone with cacti

Architecture

TO Arquitectura creates vaulted Mexico music school with reclaimed masonry

By Zarkon Group,12/10/2023

Mexican studio TO Arquitectura has worked with the local community to create a music school that features a vault made from recycled and donated masonry in Mexico City.

Known as the Kithara Music Kiosk, the 645-square foot (60-square metre) project sits on an 860-square foot (80-square metre) corner lot in the Yuguelito neighbourhood. TO Arquitectura completed the project in March of 2022.

Yuguelito is located in Iztapalapa, an area that experiences high levels of conflict due to violence, poor soil quality and water scarcity.

Set along the base of the Xaltocan Volcano, an earthquake in 1985 reduced Yuguelito to rubble, and the community has been working to improve the soil for construction and to re-establish the residential area for the last forty years.

A woman pours out water next to a music kiosk — It is made of recycled and donated materials

In 2015, the Kithara Project – a classical guitar education program based in Boston, Massachusetts – arrived in the area to offer free music lessons to the community using one of the most popular instruments in the world.

To show their appreciation, the community members donated a small plot next to the local library for a guitar classroom, and TO Arquitectura held a workshop with the guitar students to develop the designs for a music school.

Hall with wooden ceiling and large doors — It was built for a community recovering from an earthquake that occurred more than 40 years ago

The resulting structure is a rectangular space that sits diagonally on its site, orienting toward the volcano and the intersection rather than the street grid. This allows the building to be opened up to the views when it serves as a stage for events in the neighbourhood.

The team employed recycled and donated materials and labour from three local builders.

Guitar man playing for audience — The vault was oriented towards the volcano and town

The open-air, pavilion-like vault is composed of different types of donated masonry, including red brick, cement blocks, volcanic stone, and a red stone called tezontle.

The two-storey vault serves as a shelter for a wooden stand made of reclaimed lumber. A set of concrete stairs climbs up to a set of raked, wooden bleachers that form the classroom space.

Aerial view of Kithara Music Kiosk — It sits on a small, donated plot

A small restroom is tucked underneath the staircase and the landing is used as a teaching platform.

The underside of the bleachers functions as a bandstand with double-height wooden doors swinging open to the community. The reclaimed wood was cut into small sections and assembled like tiles over the doors to create a varied pattern.

Light and airflow through the ground-floor space from doors on each end, while mismatched ceramic pendant lights serve as a small suspended detail.

The combination of wood and masonry creates “an acoustic balance between sound absorption and reverberation,” the studio said.

An arched music school in Mexico City — It employs rainwater capture techniques

Integrated metal scuppers run along the intersection of the vault and the wall and capture rainwater that is piped into a collection chamber and a small garden.

“Nowadays Kithara Music Kiosk has surpassed its intended uses, and the community has used it for making different events like theatre arts presentations, choir concerts and different types of social gatherings,” the studio said.

“It has a personal space scale but it definitely resonates as a collective space.”

Kithara Music Kiosk has been shortlisted in the small architecture project category of the Dezeen Awards 2023.

TO leaders Carlos Facio and José Amozurruita are also members of Mexico City’s Colectivo C733 with Gabriela Carrillo, Eric Valdez, and Israel Espín. Together they have created a brick music school with a coconut wood roof in Nacajuca and a market with an inverted trapezoid-shaped roof structure in Matamoros.

The photography is by Jaime Navarro and Santiago Arau.

Project credits:

Architecture: TO (Carlos Facio, José Amozurrutia)
Project team: Lizeth Ríos, Úrsula Rebollar, Lena Arsenijevic
Client: Matthew Rode, Kithara Foundation
Structural: Armando Pelcastre
Construction: TO, maestro Pablo Escobar
Landscape: Entorno, Tonatiuh Martínez

Reference

Two buildings clad in recycled bricks and thatched roofs

Interior Design

RooMoo integrates local materials into Som Land Hostel near Shanghai

By Zarkon Group,11/10/2023

Thatched roofs, recycled bricks and bundles of sticks were used to construct this hostel on Shanghai’s Chongming Island, which Chinese studio RooMoo has organised around two existing buildings.

The site is surrounded by water and forests, creating a secluded rural environment on the island that’s located across the Yangtze River estuary from the vast metropolitan area.

The Som Land hostel was designed to integrate with this natural landscape and respect the local customs and traditions.

“The resort’s name Som Land comes from the traditional Chinese colour, the warm green between the mottled gaps in the tree shadows, representing a state of relaxation and slow-paced life,” said Shanghai-based RooMoo.

“In terms of overall space arrangement and planning, Som Land focuses on nature and humanistic traditions.”

Walls covered in recycled bricks in an unusual pattern — The buildings are clad using recycled bricks in a pattern based on a local cloth

The architects revived two old houses on the site, manipulating their existing forms and layouts to meet the new requirements while adhering to planning restrictions.

The larger two-storey structure that acts as the accommodation block was overhauled and extended to include an additional floor – now totalling 552 square metres.

Staircase with glass top — In the larger of the two buildings, the staircase was moved to the north side

“Because the original building has problems, it is necessary to adjust the old and inappropriate space layout and add new design strategies to provide reconstruction to match the new requirements,” said RooMoo.

While its perimeter footprint remained the same, the building was transformed both internally and externally.

Guest room with neutral tones and sticks on the ceiling — The rooms are decorated with neutral tones and natural materials

Planning codes limited the height of the eaves. So to provide extra space, RooMoo steepened the pitch of the roof so that the extra storey could tuck inside.

Large dormer windows create even more space on this upper floor, while balconies were added to the lower levels to extend these, too.

View from guest room into a tiled bathroom — Wood furniture and woven textiles connect the interiors to the rural setting

The staircase was also relocated to the north of the building, allowing three guest rooms per floor to fan around the glass-topped circulation core.

Each room has its own bathroom facilities, and some suites include a bathtub that overlooks the balcony and the forest beyond.

Neutral tones and natural materials decorate the interiors, which feature wooden bed frames, tables and chairs, plus woven textiles and lighting.

Tree branches gathered from the site are framed into panels that cover parts of the ceilings in both the rooms and corridors, while bamboo poles partition the staircase flights.

Thatched building with a glass extension — The second building was extended on the west side with a glazed addition

“The guests staying can feel the space environment of non-machine standardised production, so most of our material selection is from nature and the local site,” said RooMoo.

The second single-storey building that was originally a tool shed was also completely rethought, becoming a reception and communal space where crumbling walls and a tiled roof once stood.

Dining area inside wood-framed glass structure — This building is used as the reception and a communal space for guests

As with the larger structure, the roof pitch was increased to its maximum allowed height and its boundary was also pushed outward.

The top of its gabled form was cut off and the flat plane turned into a window to allow plenty of natural light into the interior.

Strips of wood curve from the ceiling, while a central brick fireplace divides the open space — A central brick fireplace divides the open space

On the west side, a wood-framed glass addition is extruded from the building’s profile to face the water.

Inside, thin strips of wood swoop down and curve outward from the skylight, helping to distribute the light.

A variety of local products displayed on wooden shelves — A variety of local products are displayed in the reception building

A curvaceous brick fireplace and chimney stack are positioned in the centre of the open room to separate the reception area from a lounge and dining space.

Both buildings were re-clad in bricks recycled from the original structures, in a pattern based on local cloth that casts shadows across the facades.

Dining room of a hostel in China — Strips of wood curve from the ceiling to funnel in sun from the skylight

Thatched roofs were also added as a nod to the region’s historic building traditions. “In our practice, we tried to recall the traditional way of manual binding to build a roof of reed poles,” said RooMoo.

“Therefore, we hope to bring out the first impression of the sustainable concept and practice of earth materials returning to nature,” the studio added.

“The design treatment is to provide hotel guests with a warm and relaxing vacation with a deeper understanding of the local style of the environment.”

Gabled structure with glass walls glowing at night — The top of the gabled roof is cut off and covered in glass

Som Land is longlisted in the hotel and short-stay interior category for the 2023 Dezeen Awards, becoming the latest hostel in China to receive recognition from the program.

Previously, the Capsule hostel and bookstore by Atelier Tao+C in a small rural village was named interiors project of the year at the 2020 Dezeen Awards.

The photography is by Wen Studio.

Project credits:

Design team: RooMoo
Construction: Shanghai Guixiang Decoration Engineering
Lighting consultant: Shanghai Yiqu Laite Lighting Industry

Reference

Sustainable News

Blond design agency creates “first refillable” edge styler for Ruka

By Zarkon Group,11/10/2023

London agency Blond has designed Edge Slick, a comb-style device for styling hair with a reusable handle that doubles as a hands-free applicator for hair gel.

Edge Slick is a neutral-hued edge styler created by Blond for Ruka, a UK Black women-owned business that creates hair extensions and accessories.

Edge stylers are tools specifically designed to treat baby hairs, also known as edges – shorter hairs positioned at the hairline.

The product, which has been longlisted for a Dezeen Award, features a double-sided, detachable comb with soft bristles for swooping, shaping and layering and firm bristles for combing and detangling hair.

Two-sided comb by Blond for Ruka — The detachable, two-sided comb comes in a range of colours

Designed to be disassembled, the comb is clipped onto an “ergonomic” paddle-shaped reusable handle.

The reusable handle also doubles as an applicator for hair gel that can be used to apply gel to the user’s wrist, saving them from using their fingers while they are styling their hair.

Recycled packaging for Edge Slick — Edge Slick comes in recycled packaging

“When the relatively small comb reaches the end of its long lives it can be unclipped and disposed of, but crucially, the reusable handle is kept to extend the life of the product,” said Blond.

A minimalist, apple-shaped stand also comes with the edge styler, as well as packaging made from 100 per cent recycled paper pulp.

Users can also store their clip-on brushes inside a translucent sanitary protective case.

“Edge Slick addresses a gap in the hair industry for a product that caters specifically to Black afro hair, in an industry that has historically and disproportionately focussed on white aesthetics,” said Blond.

“It is the first refillable edge styler on the market, reducing plastic consumption by 86 per cent compared to its competitors,” added the agency.

Apple-shaped stand — It also features an apple-shaped stand

Previous hair products that were designed to push boundaries include a smart hairbrush by beauty brand L’Oréal and healthcare company Withings that tracks and scores the quality of hair.

Inventor James Dyson has created a hairdryer that is silent to human ears and controls its own temperature to protect hair from heat damage.

The photography is courtesy of Blond.

Reference

Sustainable News

Solar-powered cooling for East Africa’s livestock industry

By Zarkon Group,11/10/2023

Spotted: Kenya has a thriving livestock industry that employs half of all agricultural workers in the country. But gaps in the cold chain contribute to large volumes of food being wasted, with Sub-Saharan Africa losing 36 per cent of all food post-harvest, and 94 per cent of that figure being caused by inefficiencies across the supply chain. With the goal of finding a way to reduce waste and improve income for local communities, Kenya-based company Baridi has created a means of using Africa’s sunshine to preserve meats.

The startup’s solar-powered cooling solutions keep fresh meats cold or frozen, and the solar chillers come in three different sizes: a ‘Nano’, ‘Mini’, or ‘Mega’. The Nano is 10 square feet, while the Mini is 20 square feet and the Mega 40 square feet.

Mindful of the range of sizes of operations run by farmers and distributors, Baridi makes it possible to buy or rent a unit via a leasing agreement. And as part of founder Tracy Kimathi’s work to involve more women in the country’s meat supply chain system and boost economic opportunities for families, Baridi also offers a pay-as-you-store model for smallholder farmers and smaller distributors.

Each solar-powered unit the company installs reduces annual meat spoilage by more than 290,000 kilogrammes and decreases public market losses by up to 15 per cent. The units are Internet-of-Things- (IoT) enabled to allow remote monitoring of temperatures and humidity, as well as door openings. Baridi plans to install more than 60 of the cooling units within the next five years at locations across the country.

As temperatures rise around the world, refrigeration becomes even more important to the healthcare and food supply chains that crisscross the globe. From creating ways to store vaccinations and other medicines as solids to portable, solar-powered refrigerators, innovations in the Springwise database showcase the importance of bringing sustainable cooling solutions to communities everywhere.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

Architecture

Fables and Fragments: Vision Award Winners Rethink CAD’s Potential

By Zarkon Group,11/10/2023

We are thrilled to announce the winners of Architizer’s inaugural Vision Awards, the world’s biggest awards program dedicated to the art of architectural representation. Sign up to receive future program updates >

Architecture is born from drawing. This act of laying out ideas and visions is what brings buildings and cities to life. Over time, as Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and digital technology became more popularized, there was a move from hand drawings to 3D modeling. Now, designers are quickly seeing the rise of AI-assisted visualization. Across these mediums and at the heart of architectural practice is the desire to tell compelling stories about people and places.

This year, Architizer launched the Vision Awards to recognize the talented students, professionals and studios who are envisioning the world’s architecture. Captured through photography, drawings, renderings, videos, physical models and more, there were hundreds of entries submitted across more than 30 categories. Taking a closer look at the winners, we can begin to see how designers are rethinking the potential of computer-aided design. The result is a series of beautiful, compelling works that represent visionary approaches to drawing and storytelling. The following three projects highlight the winners of this year’s Vision Awards for students, professionals and studios.

VENUE ID PINKLAO-SALAYA “Shirakawa-go”

By LWD.Co.,Ltd, Studio Winner, Vision Awards, Computer Aided Drawing

Underlining the idea that CAD drawings can be done in many different styles, the drawing VENUE ID PINKLAO-SALAYA “Shirakawa-go” by LWD.Co was the Vision Awards Studio Winner this year for Computer Aided Drawing. As the team outlines, it was made as an “inspired design that tells the story of a beautiful farming village nestled in the valley alongside the Shokawa River, where one might find an old house reminiscent of a childhood fairy tale.” Reading like a comic, the juxtaposition of angles, moments and frames moves the eye through the drawing and text.

LWD.Co. wanted to create an illustration that highlights the architectural design of Gassho-zukuri houses. “Built using the same architectural characteristics as traditional houses, this design employs the architectural style called Gassho-zukuri. Gassho means hands folded together in prayer. The distinctive feature of this traditional Japanese architectural style is the large gable roof that looks like hands folded together. This creates a beautiful blend between the wooden Japanese frame and the architectural style of a traditional Thai house. This combination is perfect for the hot and humid climate of Thailand; the elevated structure which creates a faux-basement space underneath the house is just one of the unique characteristics of Thai-style houses.”

Fable or Failure

By Alexander Jeong and Brandon Hing, Vision Awards Student Winners, Computer Aided Drawing

This imaginative drawing “Fable or Failure” by Alexander Jeong and Brandon Hing won the 2023 Architizer Vision Award for a Student Drawing in the Computer Aided category. Jeong and Hing’s rendering reimagines a multitude of fantastical scenarios through space travel. As the duo notes, “Fable or Failure is a project that seeks to reimagine how space travel can be conceptualized in the distant future of societal development.” Taking the shape of an exploded axonometric drawing, the winning entry uses black, white and grey linework and shading, as well as a single color to denote outer space.

Together, Jeong and Hing are curious in how a visualization can pose questions of space, community and gathering. “Will space travel be dominated by the rich and corrupt with the ability to experience otherworldly and transformative events, commodifying it? Can we imagine a future of space travel dominated by imaginative individuals or kids, optimistic in carrying the hopes of the future of the earth with them to space? Through three distinct parts: navigation, archival and extension, the organization of the shuttle is designed for a plethora of humanity’s desires in space travel.”

Into the Void: Fragmented Time, Space, Memory, and Decay in Hiroshima

By Victoria Wong, Professional Winner, Vision Awards, Computer Aided Drawing

Navigating the past, present, and future of Hiroshima, Victoria Wong’s incredible triptych is a study in composition and layering. As this year’s Vision Awards Professional Winner in the Computer Aided Drawing category, the drawing has a fantastic collection of stories embedded within it. In Wong’s words, “This triptych adapts Japanese aesthetic theories of transience and imperfection, and applies them to the city of Hiroshima.” The three selected locations (Genbaku Dome, Yagenbori, and Shukkein Garden) are experimental adaptations to the spatial and environmental challenges that facilitate ‘changes’ according to mental statuses and behaviors.

Photo Study: A zoomed-in shot showing one of the panoramic views that was described in the text that Victoria was working with.

As writer Patt Fin notes, you might not immediately regard Victoria’s work “as an architectural drawing according to the way the term is usually understood. But this work is an architectural drawing in the more important sense; that is, it is engaged with the questions architects deal with every time they undertake a project, no matter how humble. The illustration explores the relationship between the past and the future and how each new addition to a city is an event in its ever-evolving story.”

Reference

Two-storey whitewashed building with terracotta tiles terrace

Interior Design

Renovated Ibizan finca retains rustic charm as Aguamadera hotel

By Zarkon Group,10/10/2023

A 19th-century farmhouse hidden away in the mountains of Ibiza has been converted into a hotel, where guests stay inside earthy, minimalist suites with interiors conceived by creative director Carlota Sarda Caralps.

The remote Aguamadera resort opened earlier this year and was designed as “a secluded hideaway home” with a focus on nature, wellness and food.

The brainchild of Pacha Group co-founder Iria Urgell and hospitality entrepreneur Pablo Fernández-Valdés, the hotel was designed under the creative direction of Sarda Caralps.

Positioned atop a hill near the beach resort of Cala Llonga, the finca – or farmhouse – and its outbuildings constructed in 1888 were converted to accommodate seven guest rooms and four suites.

Renovated farmhouse with large bougainvillea tree in front, now the Aguamadera hotel in Ibiza — The pink flowers of a large bougainvillea tree contrast the whitewashed building

The renovated whitewashed structures sit among 27 acres of pine forests, olive groves and terraced agricultural land, from which much of the produce used in the hotel’s restaurant is sourced.

The name Aguamadera is derived from the Spanish words for water and wood, in a nod to the fact that the hotel hopes to promote healing through nature in its rural setting.

Covered porch with built-in seating and old wooden door — A covered porch features built-in seating for lounging

This translates into the design through the use of natural materials like clay plaster walls, wooden furniture, linen textiles and jute carpets.

Simplicity reigns throughout the resort. The textured plasterwork forms organically shaped surfaces and the cement floors complement the neutral palette.

Dining area with wooden furniture and small pendant lights in Aguamadera hotel in Ibiza — Small pendant lights hang from the exposed ceiling beams in the casual dining area

The main building is minimally decorated with locally crafted furniture, objects and a rotating series of works by Ibizan artists.

“Our venue serves as a vessel between artists and guests,” said the operators.

“Aguamadera presents pieces of art for a limited time only where paintings, sculptures, environmental art and rare objects are integrated within the hotel experience.”

Built-in wall niches — Furniture, objects and works by local artists and artisans are displayed throughout

Towards the back is the restaurant, where the kitchen and its wood-fired oven are completely open to the casual dining area.

Small pendant lights suspended from the exposed wooden ceiling beams softly illuminate the tables, which are set with tableware by British artisan and artist Sarah Jerath.

Guest room with plaster walls and earth-toned upholstery in Aguamadera hotel in Ibiza — The old farmhouse accommodates seven guest rooms

“Cosy, easy-going and fresh, the space allows you to explore the valley from within with sunset views,” the team said.

“In the essence of the winter season, a colossal fireplace evokes nostalgic charm.”

Close-up of rustic bedside table next to simple bed — The rooms have a monastic quality and are furnished with only the essentials

Spread over two floors, the guest rooms in the farmhouse have a monastic quality, with the earth-toned furnishings and decor elements reduced to only what’s necessary.

Larger multi-room suites are located in corrals – the outbuildings that formerly housed livestock – and have the same visual language as the other spaces.

View through open doors of a swimming pool in Aguamadera hotel in Ibiza — Cushioned loungers surround the swimming pool, which overlooks the valley beyond

“Rustic wood finishes, built-in furniture, quality materials and soft textures are highlighted through sculptural silhouettes, the cornerstone of our design,” said the team.

Across the site, several terraces facing the surrounding valleys offer outdoor spaces for guests to eat, drink and relax.

A covered porch is lined with built-in seats for lounging and is further shaded by a bougainvillaea tree, whose pink flowers starkly contrast the building’s white walls.

The pool terrace below features chunky cushioned loungers placed on terracotta tiles and is wrapped by a low dry-stone wall.

Whitewashed building with a tiled roof and palm tree behind — The hotel’s larger suites are housed in the outbuildings formerly used for livestock

Sunset is best enjoyed from cushions and mats placed under a huge tree on the opposite side of the building to the pool, where a large al fresco dining area is also located.

Details include hollow bricks with patterned faces embedded into the walls, which glow softly at night to help guests navigate around the site.

Outdoor courtyards with chairs and a potted tree in Aguamadera hotel in Ibiza — The suites have their own outdoor areas

Aguamadera hosts a variety of activities for guests and the local community, from exhibitions and workshops to wellness offerings such as sound meditations, rituals and ceremonies.

Ibiza is renowned the world over as a party destination but visitors are beginning to appreciate its natural beauty and rural charm, too.

Covered outdoor terrace with wooden dining tables and chairs — Multiple terraces wrapped by dry-stone walls can be used by guests

Several of the island’s old farmhouses have been converted into hotels or private villas, including a 200-year-old stone building that was turned into the members-only retreat La Granja.

The historic port city of Eivissa has also seen a recent renaissance, with locations from international groups The Standard and Experimental both opening within the past couple of years.

The photography is by Lekuona Studio. The main image is by Mateo Sánchez Garcia De La Cruz.

Reference

Close-up photo of designer Alex Burton fitting the REVR prototype onto a car's rear disc brakes

Sustainable News

Australian student invents affordable electric car conversion kit

By Zarkon Group,10/10/2023

Australian design student Alexander Burton has developed a prototype kit for cheaply converting petrol or diesel cars to hybrid electric, winning the country’s national James Dyson Award in the process.

Titled REVR (Rapid Electric Vehicle Retrofits), the kit is meant to provide a cheaper, easier alternative to current electric car conversion services, which Burton estimates cost AU$50,000 (£26,400) on average and so are often reserved for valuable, classic vehicles.

Usually, the process would involve removing the internal combustion engine and all its associated hardware, like the gearbox and hydraulic brakes, to replace them with batteries and electric motors.

With REVR, those components are left untouched. Instead, a flat, compact, power-dense axial flux motor would be mounted between the car’s rear wheels and disc brakes, and a battery and controller system placed in the spare wheel well or boot.

Some additional off-the-shelf systems – brake and steering boosters, as well as e-heating and air conditioning – would also be added under the hood.

By taking this approach, Burton believes he’ll be able to offer the product for around AU$5,000 (£2,640) and make it compatible with virtually any car.

Burton is a bachelor’s student in industrial design and sustainable systems engineering at RMIT University in Melbourne but has worked on REVR largely outside of his course.

Photo of designer Alexander Burton tinkering with two disc-shaped prototypes that form his REVR invention — Alexander Burton designed REVR to make electric car conversion more accessible

The spark for the project came a few years ago when he and his dad started thinking about converting the family car, a 2001 Toyota that Burton describes as well-built and reliable.

“But it’s just not really something you can do get done,” he told Dezeen. “It’s super expensive and it’s not really accessible.”

Burton wanted to find an affordable solution for others in his position while helping to reduce the emissions associated with burning petrol as well as manufacturing new electric vehicles, which are estimated to be even higher than for traditional cars.

Photo of engineering student Alexander Burton tinkering with his REVR motor prototype — Burton was motivated by the desire to reduce carbon emissions

With REVR, people should be able to get several more years of life out of their existing cars.

The kit would transform the vehicle into a hybrid rather than a fully electric vehicle, with a small battery giving the car 100 kilometres of electric range before the driver has to switch to the internal combustion engine.

However, in Burton’s view, this is where people can get “the most bang for their buck” with few changes to the car but major emissions reductions.

“You can’t fit a huge battery in a wheel well but we wager you won’t need one,” said Burton. “While people drive a lot, especially here in Australia, on average they drive 35 kilometres a day and it’s mostly commuting.”

“This distance would require only a five-kilowatt-hour battery, and we can put three times that in the wheel well.”

Burton used the motor modelling packages FEMM and MOTORXP to develop the design of his motor, which sees the spinning part, called the rotor, placed between a vehicle’s disc brakes.

The stationary part, or stator, is fixed to existing mounting points on the brake hub.

Photo of James Dyson Award Australia winner Alexander Burton working with modelling software on a computer — Burton used the FEMM and MOTORXP software packages to model the motor

Borrowing a trick from existing hybrid vehicles, the kit uses a sensor to detect the position of the accelerator pedal to control both acceleration and braking.

That means no changes have to be made to the car’s hydraulic braking system, which Burton says “you don’t want to have to interrupt”.

While the design is in its early stages, the concept was advanced enough for the jury of the James Dyson Award for exceptional student design to pick the project as the national winner in Australia.

The international prize winner from the 30 included countries will be announced on October 18.

Burton plans to use the AU$8,800 winnings from the national award to buy a small CNC machine and the specialist materials that are required to build a working prototype, building on a previous non-working prototype made in RMIT’s workshop.

Photo of part from the REVR axial flux motor displayed on a work desk covered with design sketches — Burton made a prototype of the device in the RMIT workshop

He says he has “a stretch goal” of converting a million cars with REVR and is interested in working with partners in the automotive industry. But he is also critical of its lack of investment in retrofitting to date.

“It’s like with repairability, industry is so against that,” Burton told Dezeen. “They love the whole planned obsolescence thing.”

“Ultimately, to retrofit goes against their profit margin because it extends the usefulness and the lifetime of their products. I think that’s why there’s retrofitting companies out there but they’re still largely reserved to classic cars. It’s just so expensive to do.”

Previous winners of the James Dyson Award include an infection-sensing wound dressing created by students from the Warsaw University of Technology and a fish-waste bioplastic by British designer Lucy Hughes.

Reference

Sustainable News

A fashion re-commerce platform tackles textile waste in Africa

By Zarkon Group,10/10/2023

Spotted: Reports that consumers buy around 60 per cent more clothing than they did at the beginning of the century help to explain the vast amounts of textile waste generated around the world. Much of that waste ends up in the global south, compounding the problems those countries have with their own production excesses. While researchers expect the global textile recycling market to grow significantly in the next few years, to just under $10 billion (around €9.6 billion) by 2030, more still needs to be done to extend the life of clothing.

In South Africa, startup Faro has partnered with a number of different fashion brands to create a new supply chain. Rather than dilute current markets with unsold goods, the company redirects overstock and returns to markets throughout the African continent. Pieces are sold for up to 70 per cent less than the original retail price.

Faro helps reduce textile waste by preventing goods from being sent to landfill while also reducing the reliance that many communities in developing economies have on fast fashion. With much of fast fashion made from virgin fibres and synthetic materials, the re-commerce model brings products from reputable brands to communities that would otherwise buy knockoffs.

Faro manages the entire process, beginning with buying from international fashion brands. The clothing is then sorted and, if needed, reconditioned, before being distributed to micro-merchants for direct-to-consumer sales. Such retailers are able to reach customers who are farther away from urban hubs and who generally have less disposable income. In addition to reselling clothing, Faro pledges to save an equivalent amount of textile waste from landfill through repurposing and upcycling by local artists.

The company recently secured pre-seed funding and plans to open its first retail outlet in October 2023. Up to 20 stores are already being planned for, with at least five to open by mid-2024.

Other solutions showcased in Springwise’s archive of ways in which innovators are reducing textile waste include an easy-to-remove yarn for fast disassembly and artificial intelligence (AI) size recommendations to help reduce returns.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

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